


Release Me From My Prison

by Sapphire_Princess



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: 007 Fest, 00Q - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Past James Bond/Vesper Lynd, Prompt Fill, lots of magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 22:57:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15229815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_Princess/pseuds/Sapphire_Princess
Summary: Q has learnt that sometimes curiosity is a good thing.Prompt fill for 007 Fest 2018





	Release Me From My Prison

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prompt fill for the anonymous prompt exchange from MI6 cafe's 007 fest 2018  
>  _As a wielder of dark magic I definitely plan on taking over the world once I trick you into releasing me from my prison, but crap, I think I might like you more than I meant to._
> 
> This is my interpretation ^^

He had been told to be wary, to avoid any contact and to be on his guard at all times.

But he was curious, and given that he was near by anyway he followed the trail of dark magic, of anger and rage to it’s source.

***  
James catches the feint trace of the other person’s magic from miles away. It is strange, these days, that anyone would come even that close. As convinced as they are that his imprisonment is absolute; they fear him anyway. _It’s a shame_ , he thinks, _because the longer he’s trapped there, the more damage he will do upon his release._

He waits, weaving spells and enchantments to calm his temper, to focus his magic that has been left to run wild for over ten years.

The person moves ever closer by the day but all James knows is that they too possess magic; whoever they are can cloak everything else.

***  
Finally, finally, he comes across the cave entrance.

The wards are beautiful, exquisite and intricate.

His predecessor, the former Quartermaster of the Majestic Kingdom, did a beautiful job. As the current Q, Simon can see what he would improve _and_ how it can be undone. But there’s no doubt that the prisoner won’t be able to leave.

“Have you finally decided to say hello?” a gruff voice asks from inside.

Q rolls his eyes.

“Hello, James Bond, former Commander of the realm.” He steps inside and feels the barrier accommodate him as he does. Q also drops his own obscuring spells.  
When he’s stood in full view of the prisoner, he stops. 

“If I hadn’t felt your power and know what you have done to step inside, I would have thought this was a joke,” Bond tells him.

Q raises his eyebrows minutely. “Not the first time someone has said something similar, but my age and mastery of my powers don’t correlate the way they do in others.”

“How old are you?”

“30,” Q tells him.

“Hmm, almost the same age I was when I ended up in here.” Bond sits down.

He looks healthy, his hair is short and his face clean shaven. He’s clean and well dressed, but rage is simmering beneath is ice blue eyes. 

“True.” 

“Who are you?”

Simon smiles. “Q.”

Bond blinks, then stands. “You are not.”

“I am.” Q cocks his head to the side. “My predecessor didn’t tie the wards keeping you here to his own life, or the life of anyone else. This is designed to trap you until the day you die,” he says matter-of-fact, even if he’s fascinated by the construction of it all. And what James has done within it.

“You’re impressed by it,” Bond states.

Q smiles “Naturally.”

***

Q is…. something. James doesn’t quite know what. He’s young and powerful and curious. And maybe he can be _convinced_ to let James out. And even if he can’t, James doesn’t mind the idea of trying.

“You can call me James.”

“Hmm, alright, James.” Q comes to sit across from him, on the only non-magic-made sofa in the room. James smirks and Q flashes him a small smile of acknowledgement.

“Why on earth are you here?”

Q shrugs. “Why not? I wanted to see some of the former Q’s greatest work. And I was in the area.”

“Hmm, is that what you’ll tell them when you return.”

“If they ask, perhaps.”

***

They talk for several hours, Q asks James about his own magic, about what he’s done within the confines of the mountain. He carefully avoids any mention of anything else and, in return, answers some of James’ questions.

“Will you share food with me?” James asks.

“I will share my own food, if that is what you’re asking,” Q responds.

James laughs. “You’re very wary.”

Q shakes his head and reaches into his pack, then puts everything on the table with a wave of his hand.

“And you packed enough to share,” James observes. 

Q shrugs. “I didn’t know how long I’d be away. You’ll need your own cutlery,” he points out, digging in with his own spoon.

James rewards him with another smile.

***

Q looks to the cave’s entrance then back at James.

“You could stay.”

Q laughs. “I have heard tales of those you have taken to bed, of your prowess and talents. I have no wish to become another of your temporary lovers. It doesn’t interest me.” 

“For no other reason?” James asks.

“No. If you tried to hurt or kill me then the rest of my quartermasters would be notified and you would be tortured then killed.”

James is silent whilst Q gathers his things and puts on his cloak.

“Will you come here again?” James’ head is bowed as he asks, looking at the floor.

“Yes.” Then Q leaves the way he came and doesn’t look back.

***

It’s only three days later when he returns. He doesn’t say he’s going somewhere else, he doesn’t say where he’s going at all - to anyone but his second, R. She raises her eyebrows, but nods, swearing to keep his secret unless something goes wrong.

James is stood as close to the outer wards as he can, just inside the cave’s entrance.

“I thought it must be you,” he says, smiling.

Q drops his obscuring spells.

“It is. Can I come inside?”

James waves his hand out. “Please, come on in.”

Q does.

***  
James lets the conversation go wherever Q wants it for the first hour or so, but his impatience is rising. It has been since Q’s first visit. He’s scorched several of the walls further up the mountain with his frustration, letting go of his control until the alarms have rung out.

“Why are you really here, Q? What do you want?” 

Q sips from the mug of fragrant tea he’d been refilling since they started talking.

“Because I would like to understand what happened to you.” He seems earnest and James finds himself wondering how long a man with the job of Q can keep that.

“Surely they tell that tale as well.”

“There are several different versions, all similar, but I would rather know the truth from you.”

James takes a deep breath and looks at his hands folded in his lap.

“And you think I’ll tell you?”

Q shrugs. “It’s worth me asking.”

“It’s a very short story. I fell in love, resigned my position and traveled the world with someone I thought loved and wanted me in return. She used me, I tore apart everyone who stood in my way.”

Q sighs. “You did more than that.”

“Sometimes innocents are a casualty of war.” James’ words are hard and Q can feel his anger start to fill the room.

“James, you destroyed an entire city. Everyone and everything in it.”

“I warned them.”

“ _Why_ , James.”

“So that they could send their people to safety.”

“No,” Q says, standing and walking closer towards him. He knows that this is precarious, dangerous and entirely out of character for him, but he wonders if perhaps he can help. “Why did it come to that?”

James turns his eyes on Q’s. Ice blue against warm hazel. But though Q’s attention is on James, he’s also watching the magics woven around him. 

“It’s not right,” he whispers.

“I DON’T CARE!” Sparks fly from James and Q only just manages to shield himself in time.

“Shit.” Q pushes his shield forwards and traps James against the wall. His eyes are almost white now, embers of power surging within them. It is not the colour of peace and tranquility, its the white-hot heat of a sun consuming its self.

He casts the analysis spell he’s been working on since returning to the kingdom and saves the results to the scroll he lays out on the table next to him.

James hasn’t moved or made a sound.

“That isn’t _our_ magic, James. No quartermaster of any rank could or would do that. The cost on a soul is too great and noticeable to anyone who came into contact with them. What have they done to you? What are they blocking to make you react that way?” he says, half to himself and half to James. “I’d heard that your magic was originally balanced; dark and light in equal tendencies. You were brilliant.”

James shouts out again, screaming with magic as well as sound.

Q watches on, throwing analytic spell after spell, recording it all them. 

Once James has finally passed out, Q carries him to the largest sofa and lets him sleep. Then gets to work.

***

When James wakes up he barely knows where he is or what’s happened. The last thing he remembers is a flash of fear in hazel eyes, brown curly hair…. then rage.

“Q?” He calls fear coiling in his gut. He can’t have done… he wouldn’t…. surely… he couldn’t have hurt Q accidentally. Could he?

“I’m right here, James.”

James sits up and sees Q walk towards him with a steaming cup of tea. He looks exhausted, his hair resembling a birds nest with pencils and perhaps even a wand stuck into it. His shirt is untucked and there are ink stains in his fingers and trousers.

“I know you’re not a fan, but please, it’s only tea and you need to drink something.”

He takes the cup with shaking hands and sips it.

“Why is there a wand in your hair? Surely your magic needs no conduit.”

Q smiles. “No, but it’s comforting, the feel of the wood and the carvings. And there are a few spells I’ve been working on that can be controlled a little better with it.”

James holds his cup in his lap. “How long have I been out for?”

Q winces. “This isn’t the first time, is it.”

James shakes his head. “No. I thought it was part of this place, it used to happen all the time for the first few months I was here.”

Q exhales and looks back at James, a pained look on his face. “You’ve been passed out for 2 days. I’ve been working to find out what happened to you and I think I know.”

“Are you going to tell me?”

Q shrugs. “As soon as I know that I can, without it making your condition worse. I’ve also sent word to R, to ask her to go over all my findings. She should send a reply within the day.”

“Will you at least tell me why you came here in the first place?”

Q smiles at this and sits himself next to James.

“I suppose it will pass the time, yes.”

James laughs and Q grins, looking so relieved that James isn’t sure what to make of it, or him. 

“I had heard the tales, during my training, of the former Commander of the realm who had destroyed an entire city as revenge. I knew also that you had been steadily burning your way back to ours, until you were defeated and imprisoned. They said that a lover had betrayed you, but somehow it seemed out of character, given your history.”

“You don’t believe that I could let the whole world burn?” James questions.

Q shakes his head. “No. I’m sorry, I don’t. There are those I could believe it of. Commander Silva betrayed us, but evidence of that ran far enough back that there was no one to pity him when he was killed. But there was nothing even hinting at something similar for you.”

James nods, then looks away from Q.

“I can’t remember her name,” he admits quietly.

“I’m sorry, James. I really am.” He takes a deep breath. “I came here that first day to see you, to see if I could detect any trace of the dark being I was expecting to find. To see if the stories and rumours were true. There is dark magic here, and within you as well…. but too much and it doesn’t feel the same as the rest of your magic.”

“Someone cursed me?”

Q nods. “Yes. Likely the same person who killed her, the woman you loved.”

“Why?”

“If I had to guess, based on what I know, I’d say it was because they’d let their thirst for magic and power and control consume them. I would imagine that they hated you. And, because they sent you back to us after destroying the other city, I would say they belonged to neither.”

“Are they still alive?”

Q shakes his head. “No. Someone like that would burn out in months. There was a body… remains of a man found a few years ago and there were signs of that kind of power and magic. He’s killed his own cat to try and stave off death.” He closes his eyes and James puts a tentative hand on top of Q’s.

He doesn’t startle but it seems to catch him off guard enough that his magic shoots pins and needles up James’ arm.

“Sorry,” Q says. “Instinctive.”

“Clever.”

Q smiles weakly. “Thank you.” He yawns.

“You can sleep, Q.”

He nods, covering his mouth with his other hand. “Where?”

James smiles and puts his arm around his shoulder, hoping he’s not reading this wrong. “Here.”

Q’s asleep before his head hits James’ shoulder.

There are a thousand things James could do. Hundreds of ways he’d planned on escaping if anyone was ever stupid enough to come here. All the ways to trick and seduce someone with enough power to let him out.

But theres not a single one of them he would do to Q. 

James has always been one to fall fast and hard, he knows this. But the earnest young man in his arms, who came back and seems to think there is more imprisoning him than this mountain, seems worthy of his affection. Even if it’s too soon to call it love.

***

R’s reply arrives the following morning.

James shakes Q’s shoulders gently, having stayed awake most of the night to make sure Q could rest. _Old habits_ , he supposes.

Q goes to get the response from the entrance, runs his hand over the parchment to make it open and then settles on the couch next to James again. He doesn’t make reference to the way he slept, but he does sit close to James.

“I was right,” he says.

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“That depends if this works.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“The mountain comes down upon us. We’ll both die,” he says quietly.

“You can’t protect yourself?”

Q shakes his head. “No, but now I know whats been done to you, I’m not leaving here until I’ve at least tried.”

“Q…”

He smiles and runs his hand along James’ cheek.

“I’m not having sex with you ‘because we might die’.”

“Will you at least let me kiss you?”

Q chuckles. “Doesn’t one thing usually lead to another?”

“Only if you want it to.”

Q bites his lip. “That’s not really the point.” But he does lean forward, and does meet James’ lips in a kiss.

***

It occurs to him, somewhere between climbing into James’ lap and meeting his mouth for another searing kiss and unbuttoning his shirt, that this is not the best use of his time and energy. But the skin on skin contact that follows is so good, and warm, and lovely that he dismisses it as something that can wait until later.

It’s actually James that halts their progress. Who kisses Q softly, softer, holding him tight against him and kissing his hair, his cheeks, his nose, over and over until they’re both calmer.

“If you can do whatever it is you’re planning on doing and if you can get us both out of here safely, I’d like to take my time with you. Show you more than just my appreciation.”

“James….. you don’t owe me anything for this. I can’t accept… _that_ as payment.”

He strokes Q’s hair. “Look at me.” Q does. “It’s not payment. I may always be in your debt, but the two things are not the same.”

Q nods and presses a kiss to James’ cheek. “Alright. There are some preparations I need to make first.”

James helps him button up his shirt and clear the space. There isn’t much else he can help Q with, but just knowing he’s willing to let Q try this helps.

***

Q has spent the last hour checking and rechecking his work, his spells and his arrangements. His wand is back in his hair, but otherwise he looks more put together than before.

“James. This might hurt, even if it works.”

“I know. Do what you need to do.”

Q nods, then looks straight at James as he speaks several lines of a spell that washes over James’ like water. When he’s finished, he looks up at him again, apology in his eyes.

“Vesper,” he says, tears in his eyes.

James’ world shatters.

*

It feels like he’s being torn apart from the inside out, that he’s cracking through a core waiting to explode. It’s scalding, then cold, then… nothing.

Her face, her laugh, her smile….. her death.

It wasn’t ever her fault, she ended up being the victim at the heart of it. A death he could have avenged with one kill. Just one. But instead _something_ else happened.

Something that appears to be coming undone with every memory that comes back to him.

*

By the time it’s over, Q is on his knees, holding himself up on shaking arms and refusing to let himself fall.

The magic has been undone, he’s also removed the bindings trapping James within this place. He doesn’t know if he’ll survive this after all, it might be a bit above even his capabilities.

But, at last, James’ eyes open back to blue and the horrible burn of the other magic is gone.

Q sighs in relief and falls into James’ open arms.

***

He wakes up in a bed he doesn’t recognise and a cool hand on his forehead.

“You’re okay, we’re safe. It worked, Q.”

He blinks himself awake as he’s pulled against James’ strong chest, tears spilling onto his neck.

“I remember, I remember and I am so sorry for what I’ve done.”

“It’s not your fault, James. I promise. It’s going to be okay.”

“Thank you, Q.”

Q can’t find the words to reply, but he brings his arms up and around James and holds onto him instead.

***

“Can I go back? Even if I wanted to?” James asks as they stand out side in the open air. 

They’ve packed up everything he wants to take with him and it’s on a cart that hovers along side them.

Q’s magic is recovering well but James doesn’t want him to push himself and has offered to conjure him a steed. He was mortified by the suggestion and instead is seated upon a broom he fashioned from the woods nearby.

“Yes. R has given copies if everything I sent her to the appropriate people. I thought you’d want to return quietly and wait for the official proclamation. But you are free to go anywhere you wish.”

James stops still. “You can’t imagine that I’d want to go anywhere without you?”

Q cringes. “You must be free to choose, James. There are many different cages. I won’t have you be trapped within one again.”

James strides over to him and takes his hand in his.

“I choose to return with you, Q.”

His smile is almost blinding.

“Then lets go.”

***

His return is quiet and he settles into the house Q shares with R. The proclamation follows a week or so later, but James pays it no attention or mind. He reads all the reports and papers Q gives him; all of his research into the Lady Vesper Lynd and what happened a decade ago.

“I love you,” James tells Q a few weeks later, when he’s sure he can say so and mean it absolutely. 

Q’s gleeful “I love you too.” Is met with kisses and tears and happiness.

The first steps into his new world of freedom.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think!


End file.
